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Klein brothers part of K-State family connection

Kleins one of four sets of brothers playing for Wildcats

Collin Klein, K-State QB

Kyle Klein, K-State freshman

MANHATTAN — Kyle Klein has enjoyed the rare pleasures of following his brother Collin Klein to K-State, watching him develop into a leading Heisman Trophy candidate, and appear on the cover of the latest issue of Sports Illustrated.

“It’s really been symbolic of the K-State family,” Kyle said of this season. “It’s been a group of 130 guys all working together, and obviously Collin has always been a special person to me and always will be, but that in it of itself is very symbolic of our success here at K-State.”

What impresses the younger Klein most about his big brother who’s became a big star college football?

It isn’t the awards, honors, or records stockpiling on Collin’s resume.

Not even the fact that Collin came in to play wide receiver and is now the front-runner for the Heisman as a quarterback most impresses Kyle.

To no surprise to those close to Collin, or to those who listen to how coach Bill Snyder talks about his senior quarterback, what stands out most to Kyle has nothing to do with football.

“Honestly, his faith and it’s something I try to emulate,” the redshirt-freshman wide receiver said of his older brother, “but also when I say his faith, it’s unbelievable how much it means to him, and it is the most important thing in his life.”

The K-State football family is unique on multiple levels with one of them being the fact that the Wildcats’ roster contains four sets of brothers — Collin and Kyle, Currie and Collin Sexton, Evan and Jared Loomis, and Anthony and Jack Cantele — taking the meaning and dynamic of their family values to an enhanced level.

“I know that when it worked out that he was going to come and play here that both of us were thrilled. Other than my wife, who is my best friend, he is second,” Collin said. “The times we were able to share growing up in high school and then to expand that into both of our college careers has been invaluable and something that I do not think either one of us will trade for the world.”

Kyle, who lived under the same room as his brother until Collin married former K-State basketball player Shalin Spani last July, said he hasn’t been able to see his brother as much anymore for obvious reasons.

“Number two never tastes as good as number one, but in this case, I do understand,” said Kyle laughing. “We still hang out and try to do dinner at least once a week.

“It’s been different but it’s been a good different.”

As Collin’s career ends at K-State in three games, he leaves big shoes and expectations for Kyle to fill.

While Kyle obviously wishes he could be a contributor on the field this season and be catching passes from his brother, he understands the time needed to be put in to reach that point.

“It’s hard but I wouldn’t say it’s disappointing,” Kyle said of not getting to play yet.

The pressure to follow in his brother’s footsteps is completely external from the Klein family, however.

“Both my parents and Collin have made it very clear to me that I’m my own person and whatever success I have is going to be from me, and it’s not tied to him,” Kyle said, “so there’s never been that kind of pressure from my parents or Collin to duplicate that.”